This marks the one-year anniversary of this monthly missive that is about the terrific aspects of what I think is the greatest magic organization in the world: The Academy of Magical Art and the Magic Castle! I have always believed that this is not just a local club, but truly magics academy. I believe that everyone serious about magic should be a member.*

Daa Bears and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and perhaps the football team too

October 1: Monday Night Football at the Castle: kick off at 5:30 in the Hat & Hare Pub. $5 Hot Dog Buffet and soft drinks. (MNFB will take place each Monday in October.)

If I Mention It, is It Still a Surprise?

Arlene Larsen's Surprise Party the Show! will be in the Inner Circle on October 3. It is a "FUN-raiser for the Dai Vernon Fund. Come dressed for FUN (pajamas, tux, grass skirt, etc. anything goes!). Prizes and surprises for everyone. Cheap food and crappy champagne. $40/person. Pay at the door. For reservations, call Susan at (805) 284-6426. Festivities start at 6 PM.

More Monti Magic

The Joe Monti Sessions continue on October 9 starting at 8 PM in the Peller Theater. These open sessions are free to members who want to work on improving their magic.

Play Misty for Me

The lovely Misty Lee will be hosting the Non-Dining Houdini Sances on Thursday, October 11. These very popular nights cost only $35 ($40 includes a commemorative coin). Show times are 6, 8, 9:45, and 11 PM. Contact Ben Roman at (323) 851-3313 x434 for information and reservations.

Happy Birthday Hat!

Harry The Hat Anderson will be celebrating his birthday at the Magic Castle. Members should check the site for details on how to attend the very limited shows scheduled for the Parlour as well as his lecture in the Palace on the 14th. Thanks for picking the Castle for your party Harry!

Hootie-Hoot!

Whos Hoo with Fitzgerald tapes on Monday, October 15 starting at 9 PM in the Inner Circle. His guests are John C. Reilly (who, you might remember, played a porn star who aspired to be a magician in Boogie Nights) and resident Ghost Guy, Tom Ogden who will give us a sneak peek at his new ghostly talk.

Roll Out the Lederhosen

October 15 through the 21st is Oktoberfest at the Magic Castle. German food, cocktails, and (of course!) beer.

October Member Meet Up

The man who lights up the room just by walking into it (I know because I witnessed it first hand), Rob Zabrecky will host this month's Magician Member Meet Up on October 17. The lights brighten at 8 PM in the Inner Circle (and, as usual, a no-host dinner starts at 6 PM in the Dante Room; call Erin Chick for reservations).

Castle Closed on October 19!

The Magic Castle will be closed on October 19 for a buyout. Plan accordingly!

Too Bad He Cant Open With Boo!

On October 24, and just in time for Halloween, Tom Ogden will do part of his Ghost Show and Talk in the Peller Theater. During the spooky show, the Castles resident Ghost Guy (after all he has seven books on the subject, including a second expanded edition of Idiots Guide to Ghosts and Hauntings) shares some of historys most famous ghost stories as he examines lifes eternal mysteries: Does anything survive death? What exactly is a ghost? Is there any proof that souls return from the Other Side? And if they do, why would they bother? The Ghost Guy materializes at 8 PM in the Peller Theater. All members are welcome! (Seating is limited in the Peller and it will be first come, first served.)

I'll Have One Party, Hold the Fire

Its been a year since fire tried to do in one day what time (and other factors) has failed to do in almost 50 years: Permanently close the Magic Castle. Well, the years biggest party at the Castle is called "Monster Mansion." Of course, this party lasts for a week!

All week there will be food and drink specials, souvenirs, and a special "candy coffin."

Friday 10/26, Saturday 10/27, and Wednesday 10/31 are the costume contests (and note that costumes are mandatory at the Castle on those evenings and all members pay a $30 door charge: non-members are $50). There will be dancing (music provided by a DJ), and even a fortune teller.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will feature "The Freak Show Deluxe" down in the Inner Circle (rotating shows start at 8 PM).

Sunday 10/28 will feature the Kid's Brunch Festival with games, face painting, cookie decorating, a costume contest, and much more. All in the Inner Circle starting at 11 AM and lasting until 2 PM.

October 7: Rich Bloch
October 14: Harry Anderson (in the Palace)
October 21: Diamond Jim Tyler
October 28: David Gabbay

The Magic Castles schedule for the week of October 1:

The Close-Up GalleryGlenn Farrington
Bill Goodwin

The Parlour of PrestidigitationAllan Hayden
Fernando Keops

The Palace of MysteryDavid Kovac
Dave Kaplan
Danny Cole

W.C. Fields Bar (Friday and Saturday)Doc Eason

The Peller Project (Friday Sunday)Brandon Scott
Brian Ochab

Friday LunchBill Goodwin

Saturday and Sunday BrunchMagic Steve

Sunday Lecture(10/7) Rich Bloch

[size:8pt]Schedule is subject to change without notice[/size]

*As I have written before, the academy should have another, appropriately priced, level of membership for those magicians who only visit the Magic Castle itself once or twice a year, but would still like to be members of the academy. This Academy Member would have limited privileges (no voting, no lectures, limited number of visits):

>Two visits per year (with dinner reservation required, no door charge per regular members: swat meet does not count as a visit)

Helder in the Parlor: Extraordinarily original, crisp performance. Every single thing fooled me. I didn't see a single move. And every single gesture was utterly natural. Perfect pacing; not the slightest moment of dead time. Eighteen minutes passes in a flash It's not just a magicians'/technicians' performance. The mostly lay audience was engaged, dazzled, and sorry to see it end. Above all, it was strong, strong magic, refined to perfection. Tonight: Derek in the Close-Up Room, and that's obviously going to be more of the same, yet entirely different.

R.E.Byrnes wrote:Helder in the Parlor: Extraordinarily original, crisp performance. Every single thing fooled me. I didn't see a single move. And every single gesture was utterly natural. Perfect pacing; not the slightest moment of dead time. Eighteen minutes passes in a flash It's not just a magicians'/technicians' performance. The mostly lay audience was engaged, dazzled, and sorry to see it end. Above all, it was strong, strong magic, refined to perfection. Tonight: Derek in the Close-Up Room, and that's obviously going to be more of the same, yet entirely different.

I'm going to see Helder tonight. Hopefully I can also see Derek, otherwise I'll come back later this week for his show.

I wrote this last night, but then the site went down and I plain forgot to post it when the site went back up! Sorry for the delay. Heres the Magic Castles schedule for the week of October 15, and its another fantastic week!